Being Maasai, Becoming Indigenous

Download or read book Being Maasai, Becoming Indigenous written by Dorothy L. Hodgson and published by Indiana University Press. This book was released on 2011-04-21 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: What happens to marginalized groups from Africa when they ally with the indigenous peoples' movement? Who claims to be indigenous and why? Dorothy L. Hodgson explores how indigenous identity, both in concept and in practice, plays out in the context of economic liberalization, transnational capitalism, state restructuring, and political democratization. Hodgson brings her long experience with Maasai to her understanding of the shifting contours of their contemporary struggles for recognition, representation, rights, and resources. Being Maasai, Becoming Indigenous is a deep and sensitive reflection on the possibilities and limits of transnational advocacy and the dilemmas of political action, civil society, and change in Maasai communities.